The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1876. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 52, 21 June 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1876. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There was n<> sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day. We have received a telegram from Nelson, tier Prfda Agency, stating that De Mnrska has had an enthusiastic reception there. Well, this of course, is very creditable to the residents in "Sleepy Hollow ;" hut we fail to see how it can interest its. We have heard Pe Murska in Oamarn, and paid a good price fur the privilege, therefore therein no obligation on our side. Why we should be continually pestered with telegrams from every place this singer visit- s *, we are at a loss to understand. This is doing the cheap advertising business with a vengeance, and it is; the last time we shall notice De Mttrska at thu priee.

Wc arc pleased to leant that the suggestion* thrown out by us in our issue of the loth nit., with regard to an improvement which might he made in signalling the whereabouts *>f the steamer Samson on her passage from Dunedin to this port, has been favourably entertained by the I [arbour-Master. For the future, the Moerakt flag will he kept Hying until the steamer u off Kakatitti, ami the same with the flag between the latter plate and Awamoa. This new arrangement wilt doubtless prove an immense eouvenienee to a targe section of business men. An accident occurred wi Momlay last to a man. named f feorge Taylor, in the employ of Messrs. Walkem ami Peyman. It appears the unfortunate man was engaged loading one of the waggons nsed for the purpose of carrying stone from the quarry to the Breakwater, and although the usual signal was given for the starting of the truck, from some unaccountable canse Taylor lost his presence of mind, and the wheels pa-sed over his right foot, causing severe pain. Every attention was paid to him hy Mr. Peyman, who had him conveyed to the Hospital as speedily as possible, and from inquiries made, we are gtad to lean* the injuries are not so Serious as at first supposed. The following adventure is related by the •" Daily Times" :—•'* A party whose name has not been declared, and who was a passenger by the i*>.!•> train to the Port last evening, put himself in peril of scalping or sometlvtntc worse, through his persistent stupidity in thrusting his head and shoulders out of window whenever the train passed a cutting or tunnel. He was admonished, but heeded not, and being impelled by a traveller's: curiosity to crane his neck to view the lovely prospect between the railway crossing at Mussel Bay and the Port Chalmers tunnel, his hat blew off, and this inducing him to stretch over a littte farther to cast a regretful look after it. his head just grazed the walls of the tunnel as the train entered it. If his head had been but a little farther out, it might have followed its late covering. As it was. the hint thus roughly administered induced the party to withdraw the upper half of his person from the outer world, and it is said that he sat still during the rest of the journey". His forehead was slightly scratched, and we have not heard whether he found his hat.*'

It is easy (oWrv«s the '* Stir") to divine th«s sources from whence Hk- " Daily Times" and Auckland "Herald" derive their very reliable (?) information njw>n native matters. more especially ths information upon tlt.it subject that comes from the King country. A tote telegram says that that "the "(>«" show* that Hoani rarengarenga, who signs the letters- to Sir fJeorge tircy from Tc Kuiti, in the King country, professing to give an awutnt of the Native Minister's visit, is father of Wtntatn, tin? murderer of Packer. WEniata is now shielded l>y his father, who writes the letters t«> Sir f'corge-. The latter has malevolent agents at Kopsta. who are metttt-g the natives to mnchief. One- U Alley, a person who writes tuitnithfitl letters* to the "Hera M** and "Star." Ho was a former settler at Ohtnetitnri, and wanted the Native Department to wink at certain transactions with the natives, hut was refused, and hence hw animosity." We may add that the " Lyttleton Times'* Auckland correspondent cautioned that journal that there were in the King country a number of " Pakeha-Maoris," who were doing their "level heat" to breed mischief between the two races.

A warning was given a young man in Dunedtn on Saturday which would have served him all hi* lifetime, and alao be of use to

others who are given to habits of intemperance. He had been drinking heavily during

the day, and fell down helplessly drunk on the Hanover-strcefc railway crossing. The half-past two train was due at the time, and the railway constable haj>peniiig to pass the spot, providentially saved the life of the young man, who received a scare which almost sobered him.

By advices, by way of Fiji, we (the "Star") learn that the |Samoans have recognised the supremacy of British authority, and after the severe lessons they have received from Captain Stevens, of H.M.s. Barracouta, seem to have retired to their normal condition of aboriginal quiescence. At the time of the departure of the Alacrity, H.M.s. Sapphire and the U.S. corvette Tuscarora were in harbor awaiting the daily expected arrival of Commodore Horkins in H.M.s. Pearl and a German man-of-war, when it is expected that a convocation will be called to decide on tiic various matters in dispute in relation to the Saiuoan Government.

Mr. Carew, IJ.M. at Lawrence, is determined to put his foot upon Chinese gambling houses. On Friday, in the case of the Police v. Wong On and Ah Hoy—who were charged with being partners in a game known as " l'ok-ap-pew''—lie held that the evidence clearly established that it was a game of chance; that the defendants were taking part in its management, and were beneficially interested. Mr. Carew went on to say : *' I cannot assume, as I have been asked by their solicitor, that they may have been servants of others ; and had it been so shown by evidence, it is probable that if 1 saw that justice might otherwise fail (as there seems to be a defect in the Ordinance under which this case has been brought), that I would have an injunction 1:5.i.l against the accused for a common nuisance"iu keeping a gaming house. With respect to the punishment to be given : in tnaiiv case-;, for a first ofi'ence, 1 inflict but a small penalty, but I cannot do so in this case. It has been notoriously known for many months that the game has been openly played at the Chinese Camp, and to such an extent iias it been pushed that Chinese agents have been employed riding about the country in every"dilection, selling tickets and distributing* prizes. It lias been said for long past, and 1 believe with good reason, that the Chinese at Waipori have been impoverished almost to pauperism by the money they contributed to the Lawrence pak-ap-pew. The Ordinance intends that such an offence should be treated as a serious one, as it provides a pimidiinent of €SO for a first offence, and for a second oti'ciice, in addition to a like fine, a heavy imprisonment. Each of the accused is separately convicted, and lined €2O, and cost-* of court -Is. 9d. : in default, one mouth's imprisonment in H.M. Gaol, Lawrence, with' hard labour." The fines were paid, ami defendant's solicitor, Mr. M'Coy, I'ave notice of appeal. The Auckland "Herald" of Sth June states :—ln recording a little act of heroism at Onehunga, we regret that we are unable to furnish the name of the youthful hero. On Moudav last, two brothers were fishing on Onehunga Wharf, when the youngest fell into the tide, which runs rather strongly there. The elder one—a boy about fourteen summers—without hesitation, plunged in to his rescue, without waiting to divest himself of boots or garments. With great difficulty he held the little fellow up, battling haul against the strong current, and succeeded in takimr him alongside the Luna, where a rope was lowered down to his assistance. To this lie held and supported his brother until a boat readied them, and when about to be rescind he cried out, "Take hold of Bobby first : he's almost done." And, indeed, both were almost done from the long immersion, but the eldest had maintained his pluck to the last, ami, to all appearances, would have died sooner than he would have loosened his hold of "Bobby" until tiie latter was safe. The boy deserves a medal.